Spaceband wiping device



y G. s. FULLER 2,283,945

SPACE BAND WIPING DEVICE 7 Filed July 17, 1941 lm/enror: Gerald J. Fuller,

\JLJ His I KIN (i 2 I ne y.

Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPACEBAND WIPENG DEVIGE Geraid S. Fuller, Schenectady, N. Y.

Application July 17, 1941, Seriall-ic. @2367 8, Claims. (Cl. 139fi2) My invention relates to space band wiping devices for wiping, cleaning, and applying a wiping material or lubricant to the short sleeves of space bands used in any conventional print linecasting machine.

Print line-casting machines are adapted to provide for the arrangement of matrices in a row in accordance with any desired order with a space hand between groups of matrices forming different words. Molten type metal may then be cast against the matrices and space bands to form a line of type. Since all lines do not have the same number of letters and spaces, each space band is made of two relatively movable wedge-shaped elements, which comprise a relatively short sleeve and a relatively long wedge which is slidable on the short sleeve to provide various thicknesses of space bands between words in different lines by justifying each line to space apart all words evenly in each line. When the matrices and space bands have been justified, molten type crnetal is cast under high pressure against the casting side of the matrices and the space bands. Justification of the space band places the long wedges of the space bands in a different position relative to the casting metal each time they are used, so that there is substantially no tendency for the type metal to adhere to them. The short sleeve of the space bands, however, always presents the same portion of the casting edge thereof to the molten metal, with the result that eventually a slight corrosion occurs and type metal adheres to the sleeve at the casting point. This causes high spots on the sleeve adjacent depressions in the matrices and will cause hairlines between the words in a line, which may even damage the ink roller and the paper besides creating unsightly printing of hairlines between words. Attempts have been made to prevent this oxidation and adherence of metal to the bands by applying various materials to the surfaces of the bands and by wiping them under pressure. All of these [methods have either resulted in the use of too much cleaning or lubricating material applied indiscriminately to the bands with the result that the wiping material and graphite on the bands formed a sticky paste, such that the bands would not justify properly, or the act of wiping and applying lubricant markedly reduced the speed of the band through the space band chute, such that it appeared between the wrong letters in the cornpleted line.

. An object of my invention is to provide an improved wiping device for cleaning space bands and preventing or minimizing the adherence of type metal to the, bands.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved wiping device for cleaning space bands.

Further objects and, advantages of my invention will become apparent and my invention will be better understood from the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims appended to and, forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a side elevational view of a space band box and. associated parts provided with an embodiment of my improved wiping device and partly broken away to show the relative arrangement of the device and the box with space bands therein; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the chute plate and wiping device taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the front of the upper part of the chute plate and the wiping device shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the relative positions of the wiper and the upper part of a space band in the posi-, tion when it is released from the box and begins its passage down through the box chute; Fig. 4 shows a space band with an application of lubricant or wiping material thereon; and Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the wiper shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a conventional space band box having side plates H] to which top rails II are secured for supporting a plurality of space bands in the box. Fingers or shoulders I2 on short wedge sleeves [3 of space bands extend over the top rails I I of the box and a center bar I 4 and center bar bracket I5 are arranged between the top rails l I over the sleeve fingers l2 to retain the space bands in position in the box and to urge them toward a box chute it formed in the front of the box at the upper portion by a chute plate I1 and at the lower portion between outer and inner chute plates 18 and 19, respectively. The inner lower chute plate I9 is formed with an inwardly curved upper portion providing a funnel-shaped opening adjacent the lower ends of long wedges 20 of the space bands. As shown in Fig. 1, the space bands are held in the box at an angle to the vertical with the lower end of the long wedges further from the chute plate I! than the upper ends of the space band sleeves l3, such that when the sleeve fingers 12 of the outermost band are raised preparatory to being released, the lower end of the long wedge 28 is raised over the upper edge ofthe curved inner chute plate I!) and swings forward toward the upper chute plate [1. This motion insures that the space band falls into the chute when released from the rails III by the space band box pawl.

In order to wipe and clean the short sleeves of the space bands of any corrosion or metal deposit on the outer fiat side face at the casting point 2! adjacent the casting edge 22 thereof, I provide a wiping device including a wiper element holder 23, which is pivotally supported on the space band box by a pivot pin 24 extending through the upper end of the holder 23 and rotatably mounted in sockets 25 formed in the upper chute plate i'l. This wiper holder 23 is .arranged in an aperture 26 formed in the upper end of the chute plate I! and the pivot pin 24 :is permanently mounted in the sockets 25 by welding a small deposit of metal over grooves forming the sockets 25 to prevent accidental dislodgement of the wiper. The welded side of the socket 25 is ground smooth with the adjacent side of the chute plate [1 to present a clean finished outer surface. As is more clearly shown in Fig. 3, the aperture 26 extends for a width transversely across the chute plate I1, such. that the casting edge 22 of the space band sleeve i3 is exposed as it passes downwardly in the chute I6. I have found that corrosion and deposition of type metal on the short sleeve side face at the casting point can be minimized if a. thin film of non-metallic material be applied to the short sleeve adjacent and over the casting point 2]. My wiping device is arranged to apply such a wiping or lubricating material by a wiper element 21 of any suitable material, such as carnauba wax and graphite or absorbent material, such as felt, impregnated with oil or similar lubricant or wiping and cleaning liquid, mounted in a pocket 28 formed in the holder 23. A wiping liquid supply passage 29 is formed in the holder to replenish the lubricant of the wiper element 21. if it be made of absorbent material, and the wiper 21 is gravity biased inward- 1y of the chute I6 by a weight formed as an enlarged portion 30 on the outer lower end of the wiper holder 23 on the side opposite the wiper pocket 28.

It is of utmost importance to apply the proper amount of lubricant over the correct portion of the space band to obtain the desired cleaning andto minimize metal deposition. If the long wedge be contacted by the Wiper such that lubricant is applied thereto or to the lower edge of the short sleeve I3 or if too much lubricant is used and passes to these parts of a space band, it forms a sticky or gummy paste with the graphite, which prevents or greatly hinders free relative sliding of the short sleeve l3 and the ,long wedge 20, thereby aggravating rather than remedying an undesirable condition. Furthermore, if the wiper contacts the lower edge portion or the upper portion or fingers I2 of the short sleeve I 3, it may retard the downward passage of the space band, such that the band may fall between the wrong letters in a line with a resultant misspelling of two words. I have found that all of these features must be carefully considered to provide for the successful operation of this type wiping device. In order to provide the desired wiping action and to apply the lubricant properly, I form the wiper element 21 with .a tapered wiping face 3i having the portion 32 thereof adjacent the casting edge of the space bands extending further into the chute [6 from chute side of the holder 23 than the other end portion 33 of the face 3!. The width of the inwardly projecting portion 32 of the wiper 27 extends transversel in the aperture 26 in a position such that it contacts the short sleeve l3 slightly below and slightly inwardly of the contact point 2| and in substantial vertical alignment therewith, as a space band is released into the box chute in the position shown in Fig. 3. Furthermore, the wiper element 21 and the holder 23 are proportioned and arranged so as to provide for application of lubricant and contact of the wiper 27 with the flat side of the short sleeve 13 over a small area on all sides of the casting point 2|. This provides a thin film of lubricant 3 3 over the desired area, as shown in Fig. 4. When a space band is released, the outwardly swinging movement of the lower end of the long wedge 26 brings the short sleeve [3 into almost immediate wiping contact with the wiper element 21, and as the speed of the band increases andit gains momentum, the pressure between the sleeve and the wiper also increases as the band tends to continue its outward movement toward the wiper 21 and the chute plate ll. By properly weighting the portion 3!] of the holder 23, the impact of the short sleeve IS on the wiper 21 will cause it to swing pivotally outwardly, and contact of the Wiper with the sleeve will stop slightly above the casting point 2| substantially when the band has moved outwardly into the chute to the upper chute plate H, when further outward movement of the band is stopped, while the momentum of the weighted holder causes it toswing further outwardly and then to return to its inwardly biased position after the upper end of the band has passed down in the chute it past the wiper 21, thus insuring wiping and application of lubricant to just the desired area adjacent and over the casting point of the space band during a substantially predetermined passage of a band through the chute without contacting or applying wiping material 2 to the long wedge or the upper or lower portions of the short sleeve.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that my invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangements disclosed, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A space band wiping device for a space band box having a chute comprising means including a wiper element arranged to contact a space band short sleeve below and in substantial vertical alignment with the casting point for wiping the short sleeve and applying a lubricant thereto on the flat surface of the outer side of the sleeve over the casting point of the sleeve on passage of a space band through said chute of said space band box without contacting the space band long Wedge, and means for supporting said wiper elementon said box.

2. A space band wiping device for a space band box having a chute comprising means including a Wiper element arranged to contact a space band short sleeve below and in substantial vertical alignment with the casting point for applying a wiping material thereto on the fiatsurface of the outer side of the sleeve over the casting point of the sleeve on passage of a space band through said chute of said space band box without applying wiping material to the space band long wedge and the lower portion of the short space band sleeve, and means for supporting said wiper element on said box.

3. A space band Wiping device for a space band box having a chute comprising means including a wiper element arranged to contact a space band short sleeve below and in substantial vertical alignment with the casting point thereof for wiping the short sleeve and applying a wiping material thereto on the flat surface of the outer side of the sleeve without applying wiping material to the space band long wedge and the upper and lower portions of the short space band sleeve on passage of a space hand through said chute of said space band box, and pivotal means for supporting said wiper element on said box.

4. A space band wiping device for a space band box with a chute including means for wiping and for applying lubricant on the outer side of the short sleeve of a space band below and in substantial vertical alignment with the casting point thereof after release of a space band for passage through said chute without applying lubricant to the space band long wedge, and gravity means for providing an increase in pressure of said Wiping means on the short sleeve with continued movement of a band for a substantially predetermined passage of a band through said chute toward said wiping means.

5. A space band wi ing device including a chute plate having an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof, and means including a wiper element pivotally supported on said chute plate in said aperture arranged to contact the outer flat side of a space band sleeve below and in substantial vertical alignment with the casting point on the casting edge thereof for wiping the sleeve at and. adjacent the sleeve casting point without contacting the space band long wedge or the upper and lower portions of the space band sleeve on passage of a space band past said chute plate aperture.

6. A space band wiping device for a space band box with a chute including means for wiping and applying wiping material on the outer side of the short sleeve of a space band below and in substantial vertical alignment with the casting point thereof after release of a space band for passage through said chute without wiping or applying wiping material to the space band long wedge and the upper and lower portions of the short sleeve, and means for providing an increase in pressure of said wiping means on the short sleeve with continued movement of a band for a substantially predetermined passage through said chute toward said wiping means.

7. A space band wiping device including a chute plate having an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof, said aperture extending transversely across said chute plate for a width adapted to expose the casting edge of a space band on passing said aperture, a wiper element holder, means for pivotally supporting said holder to extend into said aperture, and means including a wiper element arranged to contact the outer flat side of a space band sleeve adjacent the casting point on the casting edge thereof for wiping the sleeve and applying wiping material to the sleeve at and adjacent the sleeve casting point without contacting the space band long wedge and the upper and lower portions of the space band sleeve on passage of a space band past said chuteplate aperture, said wiper element having a tapered wiping face with the portion thereof adjacent the casting edge of a space band extending further from the chute side of said holder than the other portion of said face.

8. A space band wiping device including a chute plate having an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof, said aperture extending transversely across said chute plate for a width adapted to expose the casting edge of a space band on passing said aperture, a Wiper element holder having a wiper element retaining pocket and a wiping liquid supply passage communicating with said pocket, means for pivotally supporting said holder to extend into said aperture, means including a weight on said holder for biasing said holder by gravity inwardly toward the chute side of said chute plate, and means including a wiper element of absorbent material supported in said holder pocket and arranged to contact the outer flat side of a space band sleeve adjacent the casting point on the casting edge thereof for wiping the sleeve and applying wiping liquid to the sleeve at and adjacent the sleeve casting point without contacting the space band long wedge or the upper and lower portions of the space band sleeve on passage of a space band past said chute plate aperture, said wiper element having a wiping face with the portion thereof adjacent the casting edge of a space band extending further from the chute side of said holder than the other portion of said face.

GERALD S. FULLER. 

